Wonkette
As if you’re not already sick to death of hearing Presidential candidates opine on everything from health care reform to jewelry, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced this week where the 3 debates between the 2 actual candidates will be held next fall. It was widely expected that New Orleans would be one of the choices, in no small part because 7 of the current candidates asked the Commission to choose it. And the Commission totally took that into account by choosing… Oxford, Mississippi, Hempstead, NY and Nashville, TN. Our thoughts on that huge pile of bullshit, and a poll for you, after the jump.
The Commission on Presidential Debates, lily-livered pantywaists that they are, are claiming that New Orleans’ infrastructure is not in place to host the debate in 2008. Said debate would bring in approximately 2,500 journalists and some untold number of support staff — let’s say in the range of 3,500 people. The New Orleans Times-Picayune would like us all to remember that the city is scheduled to host the BCS national championship in January and the NBA All-Star Game in February of next year (either one of which will bring more the 3,500 people into town).
The paper also notes that Oxford lacks the requisite number of hotel rooms and meeting space originally required by the Commission, which helpfully countered that they weren’t sure that New Orleans (what with declining tourism and convention revenues and all) would be able to afford the overtime for its police officers.
But, do you know what New Orleans has too much of? Could it be too much remaining devastation 2 (and, by then, 3) years after Katrina? Maybe too many angry survivors who think that the federal government for which their tax dollars paid essentially abandoned them? Too much poverty? Too many shameful memories of the failings of the federal government? Gosh, no. It must just be that they don’t have enough hotel rooms and money to pay the cops.
Commission on Presidential Debates Announces Sites, Dates, Formats and Candidate Selection Criteria for 2008 General Election [Commission on Presidential Debates]
Editorial: A shameful rebuff [Times-Picayune]
Panel determines N.O. is not ready to host a presidential debate [Times-Picayune]
